Stormhome & Eberron

From Piracy to Thievery

After dispatching the last of the pirates — a crew of genasi flying under the aegis of Prince Mika Rockface, the most pirate-like of the Lhazaar Princes — the party headed briefly to Port Verge, where Prince Kolberkon owes House Lyrandar favors.

Kolberkon was helpful, though unhappy about it. The tattooed man who stole the plans from House Lyrandar is Tranan, known to work for Prince Koulton Brightwind, head of the Whispering Winds Principality. Brightwind is an excoriate of House Lyrandar; a man literally with a price on his head. It is not known — not even to Morgan — precisely why Brightwind was excoriated.

The party sails into Brightwind’s enclave on Windlost Island — Lightsail. They make up a story about needing to get some minor ship repairs and just pulling into the nearest port (and the dragonmarked members of the party cover their marks). They’ve beaten Tranan there, it would seem — an advantage of sailing an elemental galleon instead of a standard ship.

There are two bars on the island; the party begins with the more generally accessible Rusty Anchor and meet a trio of warforged sailors pledged to the Whispering Winds led by a garrulous and friendly warforged named Jackbrass. With a little bardic performance from Marmadoc, a little storytelling about Xen’drik from Zeru and Morgan, and a little lying from everyone, they score an introduction to a Whispering Winds ship-captain at the bar next door — the Fifth Wind, a sort of members-only type place. Now better positioned, the party catches word that Tranan has landed and is on his way to deliver the stolen plans.

Another bardic performance gives Zeru and Tavar the opportunity to fake a bump-and-shove that dislodges Tranan’s pack, and Tavar “helps” him get it back — without the plans, of course. As the party gathers on board the elemental galleon to confirm that the plans are genuine and complete, a hue and cry arises from Brightwind’s palace in Lastsail — the theft has been discovered.

Eberron's Intellectual Property Wars

Upon returning to Stormhome, Morgan is thanked by Torval, who owes him both for protecting Iris Greenflame and for keeping that protection discreet enough to not draw attention from either nation involved. Magdiana Swordhand asks Morgan to recover airship plans stolen from the House, due to his proven abilities and “loyalty to the House and its leadership.”

In Trolanport, the port capitol of Zilargo, the party meets up with a gnome named Zangeon Hollysharp, an agent of the Trust in charge of security for the Houses who work in Trolanport. They discover that a carpenter named Yates stole the plans — his brother was killed over shady debts, and the loan sharks were going to take it out on the widow next if no one paid up. He slipped through the security screening because Zangeon was hurried by the pace of expansion of the shipyards — expansion pushed by Esravash d’Lyrandar.

Yates sold the plans to a tattooed man working for one of the Sea Princes of the Lhazaar Principalities. The party heads to Port Verge of the Direshark Principality, where Prince Kolberkon owes House Lyrandar money, since they have been supporting his expansion of the port (one of the business ventures that Esravash has undertaken which Riclannan d’Lyrandar and others think are ill-advised).

Of course, on the way, they’re attacked by pirates. What’s a sea adventure to the Lhazaar Principalities without some pirates?

Extremely Displeased

The party heads to Flamekeep, the capitol of Thrane and seat of the Church of the Holy Flame, for Iris Greenflame’s commissioning as a full member of the Order of the Avenging Flame. Through investigation, they discover that Iris has made some long-lasting enemies, both among cultists of the Whispering Flame and among extremist splinter sects of the Silver Flame.

A little more prying reveals that extremists calling themselves Torchbearers are the culprits; they’ve been stirred up by a radical preacher who frequents western Aundair and the Eldeen Reaches. They’re not technically affiliated with the sect that Iris helped destroy, but have similar beliefs.

The party hands the extremists over to Zellair and leaves it to the Church authorities. Zellair is grateful, and says that she may want to call on the party again, though she’s embarrassed to admit it.

Having a Ball

All the characters end up at a ball in Stormhome’s court. Queen Aurala is in attendance, as is Esravash d’Lyrandar, Firstborn of House Lyrandar. Both take the time to say a few words of thanks to some of the party for their actions in Thaliost, a mark of how important the party’s actions are becoming in the world.

Alerion has a frustrating conversation with Lady Pritha ir’Lenith, who continues to regard the wilds of the Eldeen Reaches as more an interesting detail than anything important – her only concern is reclaiming the rich farmland outside the forests. He also has a little exchange with Marmadoc over the bard’s apparent support for Lady Pritha ir’Lenith‘s political views. This is, I believe, where the term “co-suasion” really gets thrown around a lot, which grosses out everyone but Alerion, who gets a +2 bonus on his saving throw against ongoing psychic damage. Marmadoc also speaks with Lady Krisemita Duskwalker, who thinks that the rebellion in Thaliost is the most important strategic interest of Aundair’s at the moment and that the crown should be openly and forcefully supporting the rebellion. Marmadoc also picks up the names of a couple more nobles particularly interested in the Eldeen Reaches, and makes an extremely vague offer to Lady Pritha ir’Lenith about maybe kind of helping her out sometime in some way with that whole thing.

Zeru stumbles his way through a conversation with the dwarf Content Not Found: valkas. While holding a pineapple on a toothpick. Despite this not-quite-totally-badass awkwardness on Zeru‘s part, Valkas is willing to be considered for contract work with House Tharashk. He’ll be free following the commissioning ceremony for the Order of the Avenging Flame. During this conversation, Zeru (and Morgan) notice that Valkas seems to be actually taking his orders from Iris, not her superior, Mother Naila Chandler, though everyone is doing their best to pretend that that isn’t true.

Morgan manages to impress himself upon Iris Greenflame as a relatively vapid (if socially and magically adept) scion of the House, and gets himself invited to the commissioning in Flamekeep. Iris Greenflame seems less zealous than Zellair, but a true believer nonetheless. She says the Order is dedicated to fighting dark cults and demonic influences, and bemoans that she was not allowed to travel to Thaliost, even though Mother Chandler says this would have been suicidal for her.

Demons!

What was initially a relatively simple job of finding the missing Aundairan spy, Janerris ir’Dove, in the occupied city of Thaliost has gone well and truly beyond that. Jamven Silverheart, Janerris’ rival in the local hierarchy of the Church of the Silver Flame, turned out to have kidnapped her with the help of dark magic provided by Naelguhr, a cultist of Bel Shalor, the Shadow in the Flame – the demonic overlord defeated and imprisoned by the legendary paladin who founded the Church of the Silver Flame. Naelguhr and Jamven, defeated by the party, were executed in Thaliost’s city square, but things went seriously awry – Naleguhr’s death by fire triggered a demonic summoning ritual that has plunged the city into bloody chaos, as demons stalk the streets and the rebels have seized their opportunity to wrest Thaliost from Thrane’s control once and for all. Into this, the characters came, seeking to undo the evil that’s been done here.

The party arrived at Janerris ir’Dove‘s estate and discovered it had become the headquarters for the rebellion in Thaliost. There they met an unexpected blast from the past — Leeva. Leeva told them she had come to Khorvaire from Xen’Drik seeking a better life and discovered her family was dispersed and killed by the Church of the Silver Flame during the purge of lycanthropes. Filled with a desire for vengeance, she found her way to the Thaliost rebels, who have been fighting the Church in its occupation of Thaliost.
Janerris prevailed upon Leeva to accompany the party to find the source of the demonic infestation in Thaliost, though Leeva was more concerned with finishing the overthrow of the Thranish occupation. Now in the Elemental Chaos-infused caves beneath the city square where Jamven Silverheart and Naelguhr were executed, they have just stumbled upon Zellair, a paladin of the Silver Flame currently neck-deep in demons. Joining the fray, the party managed to turn the tide.

The characters had a tense interaction with Zellair, whom Leeva took an intense dislike to based on her status as a paladin of The Church of the Silver Flame. Zellair was the paladin dispatched by High Cardinal Krozen to investigate Jamven Silverheart’s heresy with Naelguhr. Zeru noticed at the time that Zellair seemed highly interested in the details of demonic rituals, but Zellair was certainly not getting along well with the demons beneath the square. Eventually the party managed to keep Leeva from outright attacking Zellair, but were unable to take Zellair along with them deeper into the rift.

Eventually, the party managed to defeat both the now-undead Jamven and the possessed body of Naelguhr, though the demon possessing Naelguhr seemed to be banished, not destroyed. Archbishop Solhar Dariznu was tortured and killed by the possessed Naelguhr before the party could stop him, but they were able to save a number of priests, acolytes, and templars of the Silver Flame, earning both their gratitude and an apology from Zellair, who was waiting outside. The party returned to stormhome, though Zeru felt they were doing too little to aid the rebels.

For July 14th Session

The characters had a tense interaction with Zellair, whom Leeva took an intense dislike to based on her status as a paladin of The Church of the Silver Flame. Zellair was the paladin dispatched by High Cardinal Krozen to investigate Jamven Silverheart’s heresy with Naelguhr. Zeru noticed at the time that Zellair seemed highly interested in the details of demonic rituals, but Zellair was certainly not getting along well with the demons beneath the square. Eventually the party managed to keep Leeva from outright attacking Zellair, but were unable to take Zellair along with them deeper into the rift. In the next room, they found a cluster of Khyber dragonshards that are controlling a portal deeper into the labyrinth, but they are also capable of summoning defenders of their own from the Elemental Chaos. . .

For June 15th Session

Previously on Eberron
The party arrived at Janerris ir’Dove‘s estate and discovered it had become the headquarters for the rebellion in Thaliost. There they met an unexpected blast from the past — Leeva. Leeva told them she had come to Khorvaire from Xen’Drik seeking a better life and discovered her family was dispersed and killed by the Church of the Silver Flame during the purge of lycanthropes. Filled with a desire for vengeance, she found her way to the Thaliost rebels, who have been fighting the Church in its occupation of Thaliost.
Janerris prevailed upon Leeva to accompany the party to find the source of the demonic infestation in Thaliost, though Leeva was more concerned with finishing the overthrow of the Thranish occupation. Now in the Elemental Chaos-infused caves beneath the city square where Jamven Silverheart and Naelguhr were executed, they have just stumbled upon Zellair, a paladin of the Silver Flame currently neck-deep in demons. Joining the fray, the party may yet turn the tide, but how will Leeva react? And why does Zellair’s name sound so familiar. . .?

For June 8th Session

What was initially a relatively simple job of finding the missing Aundairan spy, Janerris ir’Dove, in the occupied city of Thaliost has gone well and truly beyond that. Jamven Silverheart, Janerris’ rival in the local hierarchy of the Church of the Silver Flame, turned out to have kidnapped her with the help of dark magic provided by Naelguhr, a cultist of Bel Shalor, the Shadow in the Flame – the demonic overlord defeated and imprisoned by the legendary paladin who founded the Church of the Silver Flame. Naelguhr and Jamven, defeated by the party, were executed in Thaliost’s city square, but things went seriously awry – Naleguhr’s death by fire triggered a demonic summoning ritual that has plunged the city into bloody chaos, as demons stalk the streets and the rebels have seized their opportunity to wrest Thaliost from Thrane’s control once and for all. Into this, the characters have come, seeking to undo the evil that’s been done here. They stand outside Janerris ir’Dove’s home, defeated demons at their feet, wondering if anyone inside is even still alive. . .

A blog for your campaign

While the wiki is great for organizing your campaign world, it’s not the best way to chronicle your adventures. For that purpose, you need a blog!

The Adventure Log will allow you to chronologically order the happenings of your campaign. It serves as the record of what has passed. After each gaming session, come to the Adventure Log and write up what happened. In time, it will grow into a great story!

Best of all, each Adventure Log post is also a wiki page! You can link back and forth with your wiki, characters, and so forth as you wish.

One final tip: Before you jump in and try to write up the entire history for your campaign, take a deep breath. Rather than spending days writing and getting exhausted, I would suggest writing a quick “Story So Far” with only a summary. Then, get back to gaming! Grow your Adventure Log over time, rather than all at once.